All Fairytales End – Chapter Eleven

Alec went down hard. He heard the shot but assessed the target too late. It ripped through his left shoulder and he staggered a step. The second bullet pierced his back, tearing clean through his body, exiting low on the right side of his abdomen. The commotion on the top of the hill became a lot quieter to him, everything seemed to have a distant echo to it. His surroundings seemed to change as he fell forward and hit the dirt, it was all hazy around the edges. Mud and dirt met his face, little stones scratched his cheeks and nose. He blinked and blinked again, why couldn't he move?

"Alec." Tash screamed. She struggled with her bonds, trying desperately to cut herself free. It was no use, the plastic ties cut deep into her skin, tightening and she could feel blood blisters beginning to well. One of the officers had bandaged her leg but her wound wasn't dressed properly and the blood was already seeping through the messy wrap. Max was at her side in an instant, having quickly dispatched the officer she was up against. The others froze where they were, Dean had collected White's gun and looked prepared to use it if the others decided to move. Quickly freeing Tash from the restraints, Max helped her out of the truck. Together they ran down the hill to where Alec lay.

"Alec, can you hear me?" Max gently rolled him onto his back, she could see the wound on his shoulder clearly. There was a clean entry and exit through his shoulder. The blood seeping though his vest around his middle was a lot more concerning, it was very dark and thick, she sent a worried look over at Tash who was cradling his head. "Have you got a cell?" Tash nodded and passed her the cell phone. Max stood up and dialled before walking a short distance away to sharpen reception.

Dean looked over at them for a moment, taking his eyes off White, a mistake he couldn't afford to make. White yanked out his handgun and pulled the trigger, Dean looked back in time to see his actions but not fast enough to dodge a bullet. It nicked his upper arm and he groaned as White stood, gun still firmly aimed in his direction. This time it's target was his chest.

"I don't miss twice." White hissed, "You of all people should know that." Without turning White knew that his men had their weapons on the transgenics. This would all be over in a blink and he'd finally be done with this freak job of an assignment. "What are you waiting for?" he roared.

"Their orders." Dean said calmly.

White felt a cold chill creep up his spine, it wasn't a good feeling and he didn't like it. Footsteps slowly moved in his direction.

"Ever since Dean was arrested on assault and attempted murder charges, internal affairs has been reviewing the case. I wasn't there when you did the bag job on him and I wasn't there to see who pulled the gun on whom. But I've been on your ass since Ames White, and it hasn't been pretty." Otto took the gun from White and pulled him toward the truck. "I think the Committee would like a few words before they turn everything over to the Feds."

When he turned around, White realised that men didn't have their guns trained on Max and Tash as he thought. They had their guns aimed at him. "What the hell is this?"

"I told you already, White," Dean explained. "I had a lot of time on my hands. I've made a couple friends who were avid listeners. It seems that Project Manticore has been officially dissolved and the NSA is no longer spending resources on the 'Janitor' Assignment.

"As of half an hour ago we've all been reassigned. Briefing happens at 0900 hours. Not for you of course, my friend. You'll be tied up elsewhere." Otto slammed the truck door shut after shoving White in. He turned to Dean and held out his hand, "Sorry it took me so long to get things straightened out. I had to prove the case before I could swing any action."

"No problem, but I think we're still going to need your help." Dean nodded down the hill to where the girls were with Alec. "I need a chopper asap. Our guy's going to need an airlift."

Dean jogged toward Max holding his arm but not letting it slow him down in the slightest. "A chopper's on the way, we can get him airlifted to Seattle. Do you have a contact?" He wasn't going to bank on having any doctor being prepared to work on saving a transgenic. The public was generally blissfully unaware of the genetically engineered population and despite the current ruling in their favour he wasn't willing to push their luck.

Max nodded, she was still on the phone with Bling. So far there was no news on the cure front but she needed Sam to save Alec now. "Tell Dr Carr that I need him to met a friend at the helicopter pad at Seattle Mercy. I have a trauma victim with a gunshot wound through the shoulder and abdomen. Tell him that the chopper will be there in less then fifteen minutes." After snapping the phone shut, she knelt back down and lifted Alec's hand in hers. He'd been holding it over his stomach but now it was just laying there, no longer having the strength to press the wound.

"He's not talking anymore. He was talking to me before. Max, he's stopped talking." Tash let the tears fall freely down her face, the pain in her leg was nothing more then a dull ache now, nothing compared to sharp stab she felt in her heart. Looking around the group, they all looked like they just stepped off the set of a war movie. But this was no film set, this was reality, a very twisted harsh reality. Dean's arm had a nasty gash where the bullet grazed him, Max had blood on the front of her pants and hands from holding Alec. As for herself; her own pants, they'd definitely seen better days. Her top and most of her clothes were covered in Alec's blood, there was so much of it, just everywhere. Quickly shrugging off her pack, Tash scrimmaged around in it for supplies. She never had to really think as she worked on autopilot, it was as if she was remembering something she'd been drilled to do a long time ago. Gently resting him down she tore open his vest and shirt. Cleaning the blood away and locating the hole she checked the entry and exit. "I can cauterise this, lessen the blood lost. Max, I need you to hold him." Max dropped to her knees and quickly assumed Tash's previous position to help lift Alec's upper body. Tash heated her knife till it was red hot and then held it against the wound. After she bandaged him securely, she looked up at Dean. "Grab a blanket from the plane, it's in the right overhead compartment." He nodded and ran back up the hill.

Both girls heard him approach before he actually reached them. He carried a large chest under one arm and a duffle bag in the other.

"Joshua."

"Max." He dropped his things on the ground and collected her in a big hug. "You came back for Joshua." It was at the same moment that he saw who lay on the ground. "Little fella? What happened?"

"Bad guys. They shot him. He's going to be okay, Joshua…" Even though she believed Alec wouldn't die, she didn't miss the trace of uncertainly in her voice.

"Max." His voice was weak and he'd passed out after talking with Tash, he didn't even realize that he had. He knew he must have though because someone had burned his shoulder, it still felt like it was on fire. His hand trembled as he reached out, it took all his effort to just lift his arm.

She dropped to the ground and leaned over him so he wouldn't have to turn his head. "I'm right here Alec. The chopper's on the way, you'll be fine."

"I'm sorry Max." He noticed Joshua and his eyes lit up when he saw the box he held. "You found…" He words died on his lips as his body went into shock.

"Oh my god." Tash struggled to hold him steady. She desperately didn't want him to tear the wound open, it was bad enough that he was still bleeding heavily from his abdomen. "Hurry up and get your ass back down here." She hollered up to Dean, who was making his way down the hill, shouldering the thick blankets on his uninjured side.

Just as the sound of a helicopter approaching filled the air, Tash's cell phone rang. Max answered, "hey." Her face grew pale and Tash knew it could only be bad news. Closing the phone, tears were already streaming down her face. "Logan stopped breathing a couple of minutes ago. They did CPR to revive him, I have to get back there. I won't get a second chance and I'm not letting him go without telling him… I won't." She said defiantly.

The helicopter landed and government medics were fast approaching. Tash got up and grabbed the box Joshua had been holding. "This will save Logan. Don't ask me how, just go. I'll watch over Alec, now go." When Max still lingered with a torn look on her face Tash pushed her. "That's an order soldier." She barked. Max took the case and seemingly blindly stumbled in the direction of her bike. Tash only hoped that she'd pull herself together and make it back to Seattle in time.

When the medics hoisted Alec onto a stretcher they sent strange looks to each other when they saw Joshua.

"What?" Tash questioned, more then slightly annoyed, "neither of you ever seen a child with birth defects before?" She turned around and picked up her gear. Joshua picked up his and stood there looking lost for a moment. "Come on Josh, you're coming with me, Alec's going to need us." Joshua might not know exactly what for yet but he'd soon find out.

A/N: Pari106. You are awesome. Just when I thought no one was reading this anymore you reviewed. ;D Thank you.